How does Judges 19:6 connect to Jesus' teachings on fellowship and community? Setting the Scene in Judges 19:6 “So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. And the girl’s father said to the man, ‘Please agree to stay the night, and let your heart be merry.’” (Judges 19:6) Hospitality as a Signpost to Deeper Fellowship • The father-in-law extends unhurried hospitality—food, lodging, joy. • Ancient Israel recognized meals as covenant moments: eating together sealed trust and peace. • Scripture presents this scene as literal history and as a model: genuine community begins when we make space at our tables and in our schedules. Jesus Takes Table Fellowship to Its Fullness • Throughout His ministry Jesus repeatedly “ate with tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:10), pressing past social barriers. • At the Last Supper He declared, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Luke 22:15), turning a meal into a new-covenant celebration. • He urged, “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (Luke 14:13), expanding hospitality beyond familiar circles. • His resurrection meal in Emmaus (Luke 24:30-31) opened disciples’ eyes—physical bread unveiling spiritual truth. • He distilled community ethics into one command: “Love one another. As I have loved you” (John 13:34). Table fellowship is the training ground for that love. Shared Meals, Shared Hearts: Practical Links for Believers Today • Judges 19:6 foreshadows the church’s lifestyle in Acts 2:42, 46—“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…to the breaking of bread…breaking bread from house to house, they shared their food with gladness and sincerity of heart.” • New-Testament exhortations echo the pattern: – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2). – “Offer hospitality to one another without complaining” (1 Peter 4:9). • Fellowship that starts around a table matures into mutual care, accountability, disciple-making, and joyful witness. • Just as the Levite’s host said, “Let your heart be merry,” believers today embody Christ’s welcome when we open homes, calendars, and hearts—inviting others to taste both bread and the Bread of Life. |
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